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Father accused of accidentally shooting 4-year-old son to face judge Tuesday

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Updated: 8:22 AM EST Dec 26, 2017

Father accused of accidentally shooting 4-year-old son to face judge Tuesday

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Updated: 8:22 AM EST Dec 26, 2017

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WEBVTT FATHER TELLS OUR GAILPASCHALL-BROWN HE WAS PUTTINGHIS GUN AWAY WHEN IT HIT THEFLOOR AND WENT OFF.>> 24 -YEAR-OLD HERBERT JAMESSAYS HE'S NO CRIMINAL.>> I FEEL JUST BAD, IT WAS MYFIREARM I COULD HAVE BEEN MORECAREFUL WITH IT.>> LEESBURG POLICE ARRESTED HIMTHIS MORNING FOR ACCIDENTALLYSHOOTING HIS 4-YEAR-OLD SON.>> IT REALLY WAS JUST A BIGMISTAKE.NEED TO BE IN HERE I NEED TO BEWITH MY SON, I DON'T REALLY NEEDTO BE IN HERE >> POLICE ORIGINALLY WENT TO THEHOUSE AFTER GETTING A CALL FORSHOTS FIRED.911: WHERE DO YOU NEED THEPOLICE AT?CALLER, THERE WAS JUST GUNSHOTSNEXT DOOR.>> TURNS OUT THE SHOTS WEREFIRED INTO THIS RED AVALANCHE.THE TRUCK'S DRIVER WHO TOOKHERBERT JAMES HOME SAYS JAMESWAS SHOWING HIM HIS GUN WHEN ITWENT OFF.>> I ASKED HIM WHY DID YOU COCKIT?AND LITERALLY AS I'M ASKING HIMTHAT QUESTION IT WAS LIKE BANGBANG.>> POLICE JAMES BECAMEAGGRESSIVE AND COMBATIVE WHENTHEY QUESTIONED HIM ABOUT THETRUCK THAT'S WHEN POLICE SAY HE WENTBACK INTO THE HOME AND JAMES'GUN ACCIDENTALLY WENT OFF.>> THE ROUND TRAVELED THROUGHTHE WALL INTO AN ADJACENT ROOMAND STRUCK THE CHILD IN BED.>> AS IT TURNS OUT, ONE OF THEPOLICE OFFICERS AT THE SCENE ISALSO AN EMT AND A SWATPARAMEDIC.HE WENT TO WORK ON THE CHILDIMMEDIATELY.>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOUI REALLY MEAN IT.>> AT LAST REPORT THE LITTLE BOYIS IN CRITICAL BUT STABLECONDITION AT ARNOLD PALMERHOSPITAL.>> I'M JUST HOPING HE PULLSTHROUGH I JUST REALLY WANT TOSEE HIM.I JUST, I'M HOPING HE'S OKTHAT'S THE MAIN THING.>> IN LAKE COUNTY GAIL

Father accused of accidentally shooting 4-year-old son to face judge Tuesday

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Updated: 8:22 AM EST Dec 26, 2017

LEESBURG, Fla. —

A man accused of accidentally shooting and injuring his four-year-old is set to face a judge on Tuesday.

Herbert James, 24, faces aggravated child abuse charges.

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Leesburg police went to Stock Subdivision in late November after they received reports of gunshots being fired in the area.

Officers said they found a vehicle parked at a home on Berwick Drive that had two bullet holes in the windshield.

According to authorities, James exited the home and when officers began to ask him questions about the bullet holes in the car, he became uncooperative and went back inside the residence.

Police said they heard gunshots from inside the home shortly after James went back in, and entered immediately to check on those inside.

Inside the home, James was standing in his living room with a gun in his hand, while a woman stood near him with their 4-year-old son in her arms, according to police.

Police determined that James' son had been accidentally shot in his torso when the gun was fired. Authorities said James was in his bedroom when the gun went off accidentally. They believe the bullet traveled through a closet wall and into another bedroom where the boy was struck while sleeping in his bed.

"I feel just bad, it was my firearm. I could have been more careful with it." James told WESH 2 News after the incident. "It really was just a big mistake. I need to be with my son, I don't really need to be here."